Courtesy Emily Rebh
U.S. Congressman and Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan stirred a crowd of over 1,500 in Albemarle County Thursday night, where he rallied for Mitt Romney and other Republican candidates.
Ryan ran up to the stage with his wife, Janna, and children Liza, Sam and Charlie, waving to the crowd gathered outside the headquarters of the Crutchfield Corporation, a consumer electronics company founded in Charlottesville.
He quickly dove in to what would be an 18-minute speech with a focus on the economy.
“Romney balanced the budget four times [as governor of Massachusets] without raising taxes,” Ryan said. “That’s leadership.”
He outlined Romney’s five point plan, which includes energy independence, improving public education, stronger trade policies, cutting the deficit, and championing small business.
“We need to stop spending money we don’t have,” he said. “We know how this movie ends. Go home and turn on the TV and look at Europe. Look at Greece.”
Ryan cited the federal government’s debt, the looming tax increases and spending cuts, and the anemic 1.3% growth in GDP as consequences of the Obama Administration.
“Since Obama’s proposing nothing different, we will get nothing different,” he said. “Do we want 4 more years? Or do we want 2 more weeks?
Susan Allen, wife of former VA governor and U.S. Senate hopeful George Allen, opened the rally. The former first lady said it plainly: “This is a campaign about jobs in Virginia and jobs in America.”
Second-year student and Romney supporter Josh Neergaard echoed Allen. “As a student who will graduate in a few years, I want the economy to be able to support me in my future endeavors, and not have to resort to employment below my education level,” he said. “I can no longer hope that things will magically change for the better… the only way anything will change in regards to our economy will be if we elect someone experienced into office who is capable of dealing with out financial struggles.”
ABC News reported Friday that the presidential race in Virginia is currently deadlocked. The poll gives Romney a 50 percent to 47 percent lead over Obama nationally, the highest vote-preference result of the Romney campaign to date, all with 8 days to go.
Coverage and reporting by Lauren Jones and Emily Rebh.
